If I really want to add cow milk, what is my best store bought option?

I have tried both coconut milk (decent) and almond milk (did not like at all although I love almonds and almond butter). I really want to add milk (cow) back and would like your opinion on my best store bought (TJ's or Whole foods) option. I used to drink at least a gallon a week of 1% and have never had any problems with the dairy factor to my knowledge (German/many euro countries decent, I'm a European mutt). I love the taste and also the easy liquid calories I can add to my diet as I am active and trying to gain weight. Thanks!

Dragonfly, I agree that a trustworthy farm would be fine. I would just prefer to see the farm myself rather than buy via a middleman. Just my opinion! We have raw milk from a local farm and, while I'm sure it would be safe if available at a local market, is something I'd rather get direct. :)

+1 for being wary of raw milk. I'm all for raw milk, but it requires a level of trust. Health, santiation, handling, etc... a number of very susceptible links in the production/supply chain that can wreak havoc.

The problems with raw milk are E coli contamination on the farms. If the local farm is trustworthy (and they would be out of business, if not), then whether or not they transport to a store is not an issue.

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Get the non-homogenized cream top milk from Trader Joe's. Not sure where you are, but it's readily available in California stores. It comes from Strauss Family Creamery (despite the TJ label), an organic outfit out of Northern California that uses pastured cows on supplemental organic feed. The same stuff is available in Whole Foods in glass bottles for a higher price.

If you have to stick to store-bought milk, I'd personally stay away from raw (even if you can get it). I trust local farms I've visited, but there are so many variables in transport to stores that I'd be wary.

So, the options. I'd look for whole, local/grassfed, UN-homogenized milk (cream-top) that's not ultra-pasteurized (UHT pasteurized). If it just says "pasteurized" then it's been heated to a lower temperature, which is better for the nutrient profile. I think cultured dairy is better, but it sounds like you're looking for fluid milk for drinking. That's how I'd go.

I'm not sure where you live, but at our Whole Foods we can get a couple of varieties of pastured, non-homogenized milk--one in a glass bottle and one in a cardboard container.

Note on goat milk from groceries--often it's UHT pasteurized, so if you can tolerate it I'd go for something like the above.

The problems with raw milk are E coli contamination on the farms. If the local farm is trustworthy (and they would be out of business, if not), then whether or not they transport to a store is not an issue.

+1 for being wary of raw milk. I'm all for raw milk, but it requires a level of trust. Health, santiation, handling, etc... a number of very susceptible links in the production/supply chain that can wreak havoc.

Dragonfly, I agree that a trustworthy farm would be fine. I would just prefer to see the farm myself rather than buy via a middleman. Just my opinion! We have raw milk from a local farm and, while I'm sure it would be safe if available at a local market, is something I'd rather get direct. :)

Well the basics are pretty basic. Milk that's truly organic, without added hormones etc. and raised on pasture. A local dairy is probably a good bet over national brands. Perhaps this list will be helpful: